Chapter five

Autumn and Page walked side by side through the busy and rowdy market of Sodalite. Page acted as Autumn's bodyguard, pulling and pushing Autumn away from herself when Autumn almost walked into passersby while people walked through her. Autumn's power hadn't manifested fully so it was still a wonder how she could touch and converse with Autumn while others walked through her. Now and then she would glance at Autumn who still seemed to reel about what happened, and the conversation they had in the alley; in order to bring her out of her wandering mind, Page decided to strike a conversation by letting her on a secret. Although there were still some things she couldn't say because of the force separating them, not all secrets were restricted by the force.

Page shook her head when the thought of how Autumn had to find out things herself crossed her mind, she was only by her side to explain and correct misunderstandings. Fate played a cruel game on her, putting her in between the land of the dead and the living.

"I'll tell you a secret". Page said and patted Autumn's head to get her out of her mind. Autumn's ears seemed to stand when she heard the word 'secret'; she payed rapt attention but didn't turn to look at Page.

"Go on". Autumn urged and glared at passersby who gave her pitiful looks because of the hideous scar on her face. Half of her face was covered by her dyed hair while the other half gave full view to the hideous scar.

"You've heard of wandering spirits right?". She asked Autumn who had her thumb and index finger on her chin as she tried to recall what she had read about them.

"It said something about people that didn't die at their appointed time". She frowned, not knowing if she had said the correct thing or not. 

"Is that all you know about them?".

"Sadly". Autumn shrugged, speaking inconspicuously and only making movements with her eyes to look at Page. They were in the market and she could be termed 'MAD' if she was seen talking to a nonexistent being.

"They are souls who borrow the body of the dead". Autumn frowned when she heard what Page said because she was confused.

"How do they borrow the bodies of the dead if they are dead themselves?".

"They are able to do that because they are mythical creatures, especially if they were very powerful before their death". Autumn's mouth formed an 'oh', lifting the hideous mark and making passersby disgusted.

"So what happens to the souls of the body they borrowed?".

"Some vanish to the land of the dead while some wander in the land of the living, remaining invisible".

"The book didn't give all this information". Autumn muttered while Page's gaze moved through stalls; she felt a particular presence that gave her an uneasy feeling. Page's footsteps slowed when she noticed a particular buyer standing in front of a stall, pricing what he wanted to buy. As if sensing her gaze, he turned to smile at her and she noticed the mark on his forehead; his face fleeted between skeleton shaped and the face that was currently on him for a brief second. Slowly, his gaze shifted to Autumn and he tilted his head slightly to the side; Page understood the meaning instantly when his gaze moved back to her. Page hastened her steps and tried reaching out for Autumn who had walked ahead of her. She tried to warn Autumn of the danger that lurked around the corner but the force acted as a barrier, pushing her few feet behind.

Looks like he had come to bring her back. Page thought while her gaze lingered on the lonely soul that was oblivious to her surroundings.

"I wish I could prepare you for the challenges you are going to face". She whispered. The wind formed an invisible chain that only the dead could see, binding her waist and opening a portal that showed a little of the barren and desolated land on the other side. Page was sucked into the portal and it closed, forming little white crystals that fell on the ground. All the while, Wyatt- the buyer that Page had been looking at, watched what happened to Page with a smile on his face; he found it amusing. He picked a crystal from the ground and put it into his mouth, chewing it while he walked to the same alley where Logan's body lay, motionless. He examined the claw mark on Logan's face and smiled.

Looks like this one has a ferocious beast. Wyatt thought and spat the dissolved crystal from his mouth onto Logan's face. He brought out a pocket watch from his pants pocket and leaned on the cold alley wall, keeping watch of time while the motionless body of Logan rose from the ground. The wound on his face closed up slowly and he brought a hand to his nose, pushing it back to it's position.

"You owe me". Wyatt told him and he dug his fingers into his pants pocket, putting away the pocket watch.

"I know". Logan replied and opened his eyes.

"I warned you not to reveal yourself to her yet, Logan". A creepy smile spread on Logan's lips and he stuck his tongue out to lick his lower lip.

"Damn!". He exclaimed and chuckled, shaking his head. "She punched my soul back to the land of the dead".

"You wouldn't be smiling if your soul had gone through the transition process".

"But I didn't".

"Because I helped you". Wyatt pointed out and Logan waved his hand to shut Wyatt up.

"She has grown stronger". He remembered her beautiful green eyes that turned crimson when she saw his face. He had let her claw him but he didn't know the impact would be so serious, punching his soul out of his body and sending him to the place he hated- the land of the dead; he was happy she wasn't powerful enough to send him to Hades or else he wouldn't have been able to come out and Wyatt wouldn't have been able to bring him back.

"You can't stay in the mortal realm for too long, can't stay in the land of the dead, and you can't step foot into the underworld because of what you did". Wyatt counted with his fingers. "So what are you gonna do?". Logan shrugged, not the least bothered about what Wyatt said.

"Not sure yet". Logan rolled his shoulders and leaned on the opposite wall.

"Just remember that Dorian has guards positioned at every nook and cranny of the underworld, awaiting your arrival". Wyatt said and rubbed his palm together.

"I have everything planned out. What about the other?". Logan asked, referring to Page.

"She has been taken care of".